Morey’s Piers & Beachfront Waterparks is a classic seaside amusement park located on The Wildwoods' boardwalk in Wildwood and North Wildwood, New Jersey. The park has been family owned and operated since 1969 and is currently run by 2nd generation Morey Brothers, Will and Jack. Morey’s Piers has over 100 rides and attractions. It includes three amusement piers and two beachfront waterparks.

Overview

Surfside Pier

Surfside Pier is located at 26th Street in North Wildwood. It was the first of the three piers, opening in 1969 with a giant fiberglass slide that cost 25 cents to ride. The slide was closed at the end of the 2010 season and refurbished as a waterslide at the pier's water park. Surfside Pier includes the Zoom Phloom, AtmosFEAR, The Great Nor'easter, and Flitzer.

Mariner's Landing (formerly Mariner's Pier)

Mariner's Landing, located at Schellenger Avenue in Wildwood, is like a traditional amusement park, with classics like the Super Scooters, Teacups, Musik Express, Ignis Fatuus, Sea Serpent and the Giant Wheel, a 1561NaN1 tall Ferris wheel built by Vekoma, which opened in 1985.[1] In the early mornings of the summer, breakfast can be eaten on the wheel.[2][3] In June 2011, 11-year-old Abiah Jones died after falling from the Giant Wheel. Since then, a "no single riders" policy was created for when guests ride the ferris wheel to ensure the safety of the guests.

Ocean Oasis Water Park + Beach Club

Ocean Oasis Water Park + Beach Club is on the beach behind Surfside Pier. It includes water slides, a lazy river, a hot tub with bar access and a kids area.

Raging Waters Water Park

Behind Mariner’s Landing is Raging Waters Water Park. It includes two unique kiddie play areas at Shipwreck Shoals and Camp KidTastrophe along with speed slides, a lazy river, Shotgun Falls and an activity pool full of challenges.

History

Surfside Pier

In 1969, Bill and Will Morey Sr. purchased two lots of boardwalk in North Wildwood at 25th and 26th streets. They called it Morey's Pier and opened that summer with a giant fiberglass slide called the Wipe Out. Guests paid 25 cents to slide down the ride in burlap sacks.

Mariner's Landing

The Moreys extended their operation in 1976 when they purchased Marine Pier and renamed it Mariner’s Landing. At the time of purchase, the pier was fire-damaged and seven of the existing 12 rides on the pier had to be thrown away. However, the pier kept growing. In 1984, the Moreys purchased the Sea Serpent roller coaster.

Raging Waters and Ocean Oasis Waterparks

In 1985, waterslides were installed on Mariner’s Landing and called Raging Waters waterpark. The waterpark opened a day early due to the ocean pollution. The project was masterminded by designer and architect Fred Langford. A second Raging Waters was built on Surfside Pier in 1988. This park was overhauled and relaunched as Ocean Oasis Water Park + Beach Club in 2006 and features a different version of Rocket Raft Run and various new waterslides.

Incidents

The Great Nor'easter

In August 1995, a 36-year-old employee was picking up trash in a fenced area beneath the ride and was struck in the head by a passenger's foot and killed. Shortly after this accident, Morey's Piers employed a new restricted section which prevents anyone underneath the ride while it is in motion.[4]

Sea Serpent

In June 1998, the Sea Serpent roller coaster suffered its first ever accident, injuring 14 of the 23 riders on board, some of whom were stranded upside down. According to Will Morey, chief executive officer of the Morey Organization, the accident was thought to have been due to a wheel coming off a rear axle, causing the coaster train to jerk to a stop midway through the ride, as it was looping backwards.[5]

Giant Wheel

On Friday June 3, 2011, 11-year-old Abiah Jones, a student at PleasanTech Academy Charter School in Pleasantville, New Jersey, died after falling between 100 and 150 feet from the Giant Wheel. She fell at about 12:30 p.m. and was pronounced dead at 1:14 p.m. at the Cape Regional Medical Center.[6]

Her parents, Twanda and Byron Jones, subsequently filed a lawsuit against the ride's operator.[7]

Investigators were unable to determine how the girl, who was riding alone, got out of the gondola. A report by the state Department of Community Affairs found the ride's restraints to be working properly and suggested that to get out of the car, a passenger probably would have had to stand. The report recommended that children be forbidden from riding the Ferris wheel alone.[7]

Sea Dragon

On August 20, 2011, five people were injured as a result of the center mast on the Sea Dragon breaking. One person was sent to the hospital with non life-threatening injuries, while four others had minor injuries that were treated at the scene of the accident. The spokeswoman for Morey's Piers and Beachfront Waterparks did not answer questions from the media regarding the incident.[8]

For the 2012 season, the Sea Dragon has been replaced with a newer model of the same ride called Riptide.[9]